Automatic doors for a fireplace

ABSTRACT

A heating generating appliance including an opening device configured to automatically open doors of the appliance. The opening device functions based on user input or can be controlled automatically via the appliance controls to open and/or close the doors of the appliance as desired.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/453,020 filed on Mar. 6, 2003 and entitled AUTOMATICDOORS FOR A FIREPLACE, which provisional application is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to heat generating appliances, andmore particularly relates to automatically movable doors that provideaccess into the heat generating appliance.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Gas, electric, and wood burning heat generating appliances suchas fireplaces and stoves are an efficient method for providing warmthand creating the appeal of a fire within a room. Fireplaces have becomeespecially commonplace in today's building trades for both residentialand commercial applications. Many new home construction designs includeat least one, and often several fireplaces. Further, a significantnumber of remodeling projects are focused on adding or replacing afireplace.

[0004] Most heat generating appliances such as fireplaces and stoveinclude a combustion chamber enclosure that define a combustion chamber,an outer enclosure surrounding the combustion chamber, a surround placedin front of the fireplace, and an access opening into the combustionchamber. The access opening may be a removable glass panel or a doorstructure that includes glass or other semi-transparent material, iscoupled to the front of the combustion chamber enclosure, and is movableto provide access into the combustion chamber. In some applications, thefireplace may include two doors that each cover a portion of the frontof the combustion chamber enclosure and can be opened manually by auser/operator.

SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention relates to fireplaces. More particularly,the invention relates to automatic doors for a fireplace. One aspect ofthe invention relates to an automatic door opening device suited formoving a heating appliance door. The device includes an actuating membercoupled to the appliance door and a motor operably coupled to theactuating member and movable in response to a control signal to move theactuating member. Moving the actuating member moves the appliance door.

[0006] Another aspect of the invention relates to a heating applianceassembly that includes a combustion chamber enclosure defining acombustion chamber for the generation of heat, a door coupled to thecombustion chamber enclosure and configured to control access into thecombustion chamber, and a door opening device coupled between the doorand the combustion chamber enclosure. The door is configured to beactuated in response to a control signal to move the door between aclosed position and an open position.

[0007] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of openingan access panel into a combustion chamber enclosure of a heatingappliance with an opening device. The method may include mounting theaccess panel to the combustion chamber enclosure, coupling the openingdevice between the access panel and the combustion chamber enclosure,and actuating the opening device with a control signal therebyautomatically moving the access panel between a closed position and anopen position.

[0008] The above summary of the present invention is not intended todescribe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of thepresent invention. Figures in the detailed description that follow moreparticularly exemplify embodiments of the invention. While certainembodiments will be illustrated and described, the invention is notlimited to use in such embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The invention may be more completely understood in considerationof the following detailed description of various embodiments of theinvention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example fireplace made inaccordance with the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the fireplace shown in FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example surround and openingassembly of the fireplace of FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the surround and opening assemblyshown in FIG. 3;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembly of the surround,opening assembly, and doors shown in FIG. 1; and

[0015]FIG. 6 is a close up view of the assembly shown in FIG. 5.

[0016] While the invention is amenable to various modifications andalternant forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example andthe drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood,however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to theparticular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The present invention relates to heat generating appliances suchas stoves and fireplaces. The present invention more particularlyrelates to automated access panel/door assemblies for a heat generatingappliance. An example automated access panel/door according toprinciples of the present invention includes an actuator coupled betweena combustion chamber enclosure of a heat generating device and an accesspanel that provides access into the combustion chamber defined by thecombustion chamber enclosure. The actuator is actuatable in response toa control signal to move the access panel between opened and closedpositions. The control signal may be generated by a controller that isprogrammed to operate automatically (e.g., using a program software orcode) or in response to user inputs to generate the control signal.While the present invention is not so limited, an appreciation of thevarious aspects of the invention will be gained through a discussion ofthe examples provided below.

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention may be used in conjunctionwith any system or apparatus that generates heat or simulates thegeneration of heat. Example heat generating appliances includefireplaces, stoves, furnaces, heaters, and the like that generate heatusing, for example, combustion of a combustible fuel, a resistiveelectrical element, or simulation of such heat generation. Some examplefireplaces that may be used in conjunction with the air bypass system ofthe present invention include a direct vent, a universal vent, a B-vent,a horizontal/vertical-vent, a dual direct vent, and a multisided unithaving two or three glass panels as combustion chamber side panels.While the example embodiments of the present invention provided beloware described in conjunction with an example fireplace, the presentinvention is equally applicable to other systems or apparatuses.

[0019] As used herein, the term “coupled” means any structure or methodthat may be used to provide connectivity between two or more elements,which may or may not include a direct physical connection between theelements. The phrase “combustion chamber enclosure” may include anyenclosure in which flames and/or heat are generated or simulated. Theterm “control signal” is defined as any signal using any medium thatinitiates control of a device function. Control signals may include, forexample, electrical, RF, IR, and optical signals. The term “door” isdefined as a barrier by which an entry is closed or opened, and maygenerally be defined as an access panel or a means of access.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an example embodiment of a fireplace100 is shown. Fireplace 100 is illustrated including an outer enclosure102, a door assembly 104, a surround 106, a combustion chamber enclosure108, and first and second door opening assemblies 110, 112. The doorassembly 104 includes a front panel 114 and first and second doors 116,118 that each include first and second sides 150, 152 and an adjustmentrail 154 having a slot 156 (shown for first door 116 in FIGS. 5 and 6).The combustion chamber enclosure 108 defines a combustion chamber 120wherein heat is generated.

[0021] A burner (not shown) may be positioned in the combustion chamberenclosure 108 to combust gas and thereby generate heat. An exhaust (notshown) exhausts combusted air from the combustion chamber enclosure 105to the outside.

[0022] The fireplace 100 may generally function to ignite combustiblegas provided from a combustible gas source to create a gas flame.Alternatively, a simulated electric fireplace may be constructed withinthe outer enclosure 102. The simulated electric fireplace can includeseveral electrical components such as a simulated ember bed, lights,fans, blowers, and motors. In another alternative, the fireplace can bea solid fuel burning fireplace or stove.

[0023]FIGS. 1 and 2 show fireplace 100 in one configuration. Otherconfigurations are also possible. For example, the present invention maybe applicable to any prefabricated gas fireplace such as a direct vent,a universal vent, a B-vent, a horizontal/vertical-vent, a dual directvent, or a multisided unit. The present invention may also be applicableto other combustible gas fireplace systems, as noted above, as well asany other fireplace that generates heat such as a simulated electricfireplace or solid fuel burning fireplace.

[0024] The first and second door opening assemblies 110, 112 (see FIGS.3 and 4) each include a base 130, an actuator 132, an actuating member134 having first and second ends 136, 138, and a actuating arm 136having an engagement member 142 formed on an end thereof. Generally, thedoor opening assemblies 110, 112 open and close the doors 116, 118 asdesired.

[0025] The base 130 of each opening assembly 116, 118 is coupled to thesurround 106, the actuator 132 is coupled to the base 106, and theactuating member 134 is coupled to the base 250 and the actuator 132 atthe first end 136 and is coupled to the actuating arm 140 at the secondend 138. The actuating member 134 and the actuating arm 140 generallypivot in directions A and B (see FIG. 3) as they are driven by theactuator 132. The engagement member 142 is sized to engage and run inthe channel 156 formed in adjustment rail 154 to move the doors 116, 118between opened and closed positions as the actuating arms 140 pivot inthe directions A and B.

[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the opening assembly 110 is showncoupled to the first door 116. Specially, the engagement member 142 ofthe opening assembly 110 is positioned in engagement with the channel156 formed in the rail 154 so that the engagement member 142 travelsalong the channel 156 in directions X and Y as the actuating arm 140 ofthe opening assembly 116 moves in directions A and B. The engagementmember 142 may include a rotating portion that rotates while travelingalong the channel 156 as the engagement member 142 moves in thedirections X and Y.

[0027] Therefore, the opening assembly 110 functions to automaticallyopen and close the door 116 as desired by actuating the actuator 132thereby moving the actuating member 134 and actuating arm 140. Theopening assemblies 110, 112 can be actuated using a control signalinitiated by a user, for example, by throwing a switch that transmitspower to the actuator 132 or by using a remote control device thatactivates the actuator 132. Alternatively, a control module 160 in thefireplace 100 can provide a control signal to the opening assembliesautomatically when a predetermined condition exists, for example, whenthe temperature, humidity, or oxygen content in the combustion chamber110 reaches a predetermined level. The control module may function basedon a software program that provides a program sequence of steps orcommand sequence based on information gathered from, for example, aplurality of sensors positioned in or around the fireplace combustionchamber or a user input device 170 (e.g., a control panel).

[0028] Each opening assembly 110, 112 can function independently to openthe doors 116, 118 separately, or the assemblies 110, 112 can functiontogether to simultaneously open the doors 116, 118. In addition, theopening assemblies 110, 112 can also open the doors 116, 118 partially,rather than fully, if desired.

[0029] Other configurations for the opening apparatus can also be used.For example, if the door of the fireplace is a single door rather thandouble doors, the opening apparatus may swing the door open by liftingor swinging the door upward or downward. In other embodiments, theopening assembly can be positioned at different locations on thesurround or in association with other parts of the fireplace as desiredto open and close the doors. In addition, the opening apparatus can beretrofitted to existing fireplaces to allow the door(s) of the fireplaceto be automatically opened. In still further embodiments, more than onedoor opening assembly may be used for a single door. In otherembodiments, the door opening assembly may be disengaged from the dooreither physically or functionally to permit manual opening of the doorby a user.

[0030] The actuator of the open assemblies described above may be anydevice (e.g., a power actuated device) that is capable of moving theactuating member and actuating arm in a desired direction in response toa control signal. An example actuator is a motor such as a servo motor,stepper motor, or other type of linear or rotary actuator. In someembodiments, the actuating arm of the opening assembly may be coupleddirectly to the actuator without the use of a separate actuating member,while in other embodiments an actuating member such as the rotatablepost shown in the Figures may be used alone or in combination with abelt, chain, or gears to transfer movement between the actuator and thedoor.

[0031] The control signal used to activate the opening assemblies 110,112 may be generated by the controller 160 that is positioned within theouter enclosure 102 (see FIGS. 1 and 6) or that is positioned at aremote location removed from the assembly 100. The controller 160 mayautomatically generate control signals in response to sensory inputs(e.g., temperatures or door position) or a predetermined softwareprogram, or may generate control signals in response to user inputsprovided through the user interface device 170, such as a display screenor button controls. The user interface device 170 may be a wall mountedor handheld device or may be integrated in the structure of thefireplace 100. Communication between the controller 160 and the userinterface device 170 (represented by signal 172 in FIG. 1) may use anytype of communication medium such as, for example, a hard wiredconnection, optics, infrared, radio frequency, ultrasound, cellular, orsatellite communication mediums.

[0032] The fireplace 100 may also implement a heat recovery system andventing assembly such as the system described and shown in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______, filed on Jan. 30, 2004, and entitledEXHAUST SYSTEM FOR OPEN FRONT FIREPLACE, which patent application isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The heat recoverysystem may used to used draw substantially all of the combustion gasesout of the combustion chamber enclosure, particularly when at least oneof the doors 116, 118 are open so that there would otherwise be a chancefor the combustion gases to flow into the living space. The controllermay be programmed to automatically activate the heat recovery systemwhen the doors 116, 118 move from a closed to an open position.

[0033] The present invention should not be considered limited to theparticular examples or materials described above, but rather should beunderstood to cover all aspects of the invention as fairly set out inthe attached claims. Various modifications, equivalent processes, aswell as numerous structures to which the present invention may beapplicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art towhich the present invention is directed upon review of the instantspecification.

We claim:
 1. An automatic door opening device suited for moving aheating appliance door, the device comprising: an actuating membercoupled to the appliance door; and a motor operably coupled to theactuating member and movable in response to a control signal to move theactuating member; whereby moving the actuating member moves theappliance door.
 2. The opening device of claim 1, further comprising abase member, wherein the actuating member and the motor are mounted tothe base member.
 3. The opening device of claim 1, wherein the actuatingmember is a rotatable post.
 4. The opening device of claim 3, furthercomprising an actuating arm coupled between the actuating member and theappliance door.
 5. The opening device of claim 4, wherein the actuatingarm includes first and second ends, the first end being coupled to theactuating member and the second end having an engagement memberextending there from, the engagement member being configured to slidablyengage the appliance door.
 6. A door opening device adapted andconfigured for opening and closing a heating appliance door, the devicecomprising an actuating assembly coupled to the heating appliance doorand movable in response to a control signal to move the heatingappliance door between an opened position and a closed position.
 7. Thedevice of claim 6, wherein the actuating assembly includes an actuatingarm coupled to the fireplace door and a power actuated device coupled tothe actuating arm, the power actuated device being actuated in responseto the control signal.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the poweractuated device is an electric motor.
 9. The device of claim 7, whereinthe power actuated device is a linear actuator or a rotary actuator. 10.The device of claim 6, wherein the actuating assembly maintains slidingengagement with the fireplace door.
 11. A heating appliance assembly,comprising: a combustion chamber enclosure defining a combustion chamberfor the generation of heat; a door coupled to the combustion chamberenclosure and configured to control access into the combustion chamber;and a door opening device coupled between the door and the combustionchamber enclosure and configured to be actuated in response to a controlsignal to move the door between a closed position and an open position.12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the assembly includes second dooropening devices coupled to respective first and second doors, the firstand second doors configured for individual actuation in response to acontrol signal to move the respective first and second doors betweenclosed and opened positions.
 13. The assembly of claim 11, furthercomprising a controller having a user interface and being configured foractuation by a user to generate the control signal.
 14. The assembly ofclaim 11, further comprising a programmable controller adapted andconfigured to automatically generate the control signal according to apre-programmed software program.
 15. The assembly of claim 11, whereinthe door opening device includes an actuating arm coupled to the doorand an actuator coupled to the actuating arm, the actuator beingconfigured for actuation in response to the control signal to move theactuating arm thereby moving the door.
 16. The assembly of claim 15,further comprising a rotatable shaft and a base, the rotatable shaftbeing coupled between the actuating arm and the actuator, and the basebeing mounted to the combustion chamber enclosure and supporting atleast the actuator.
 17. The assembly of claim 15, wherein the actuatingarm includes an engagement structure formed on an end thereof, theengagement structure being configured to slidably engage the door. 18.The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a heat recovery systemconfigured to remove substantially all heated air and combustion gasesfrom the combustion chamber assembly.
 19. The assembly of claim 18,wherein the heat recovery system is activated when the door is in anopen position.
 20. A method of opening an access panel into a combustionchamber enclosure of a heating appliance with an opening device, themethod comprising the steps of: mounting the access panel to thecombustion chamber enclosure; and coupling the opening device betweenthe access panel and the combustion chamber enclosure, the openingdevice including an actuating device configured to move the access panelbetween closed and opened positions in response to a control signal. 21.The method of claim 20, wherein the opening device includes an actuatingarm and an actuator, and coupling the opening device includes couplingthe actuating arm to the access panel, coupling the actuator to thecombustion chamber enclosure, and coupling the actuating arm and accesspanel to each other.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the openingdevice includes a motor and actuating the opening device with a controlsignal includes applying a voltage to the motor.
 23. The method of claim20, further comprising the step of generating the control signal with acontroller.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller isconfigured to be operable by a user or automatically operable inresponse to a pre-programmed software program.
 25. The method of claim20, wherein the heating appliance includes at least two access panelsand at least one open device coupled to each access panel.
 26. Themethod of claim 20, further comprising providing the control signal froma controller and activating the controller from a user interface. 27.The method of claim 26, wherein the user interface communicates with thecontroller using a communication medium selected from the groupconsisting of a wired connection, ultrasound, infrared, radio frequency,cellular, and satellite communication.
 28. The method of claim 20,further comprising activating a heat recovery system when the accesspanel is in the open position.